Free Virtual Financial Coaching Available To Escambia, Santa Rosa Residents
April 10, 2020
Thousands of households in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties struggle with increased debt and a lack of information about available resources to help them improve their financial standing. The EscaRosa Financial Stability Coalition, facilitated by United Way of West Florida, is now offering virtual financial coaching services to help individuals and families take steps towards financial stability.
Financial coaching is administered by trained volunteers and focuses on the following areas:
Credit Score Improvement: Your credit score can impact your ability to borrow money, obtain certain types of employment, or secure affordable housing. Financial coaches will pull your credit report, explain your score, and help you develop a plan for improvement.
Debt Reduction: Reducing debt can give you the ability to save more money, alleviate financial stress, and achieve your financial goals. Financial coaches will work with you to create a budget and develop strategies for repaying debt and dealing with debt collectors.
Increased Saving and Asset Building: Weathering financial shocks and setbacks while saving for the future is a critical step toward financial security. Financial coaches can help you develop a plan to achieve your saving goals.
Banking Access: Accessing a safe, affordable account is key to joining the financial mainstream and keeping earnings secure through saving. Financial coaches will work with you to identify a bank or credit union that meets your needs.
All financial coaching services, including credit report analysis, are provided free of charge to any low- to median-income adult living in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. To schedule a virtual financial coaching appointment, email United Way of West Florida Financial Stability Program Outreach Manager, Katrina Madden, at katrina.madden@uwwf.org.
Facilitated by United Way of West Florida, the EscaRosa Financial Stability Coalition is a diverse group of community partners with expertise in the banking industry, education field, career and workforce development, financial counseling, and homeownership. The Coalition works to protect, educate, and support all residents in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties by providing free, trusted, and unbiased resources to help them understand, manage, and improve their personal financial situations.
Florida Attorney General Asks Retailers To Limit Quantities To Prevent Hoarding
April 10, 2020
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Consumer Protection Division is continuing to fight price gouging, and to further deter the illegal practice, the attorney general is asking more Florida retailers to limit per customer sales of essential commodities and other scarce products.
Moody held a conference call Thursday with members of the Florida Retail Federation to thank stores already taking steps to prevent hoarding and encourage even more participation in these crucial efforts.
“We are aggressively fighting price gouging and asking Florida retailers to help us in this battle. One way we prevent outrageous price increases is by preventing the purchase of excessive amounts of essential commodities, which can temporarily clear retail shelves and provide unscrupulous individuals with the opportunity to sell for astronomical prices the large quantities of high-demand products they may be allowed to purchase,” Moody said.
Representatives of some of the largest retailers doing business in Florida reported to the attorney general that the supply chain remains strong and sufficient, and scarce items are being quickly re-stocked in retail stores. They are requesting that consumers not hoard by only purchasing reasonable amounts of supplies, so that retail shelves can stay consistently stocked.
President Donald Trump previously issued an executive order outlawing hoarding for the purpose of selling them above the fair market value. The order is enforceable by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Long-Term Care COVID-19 Cases Increase To 20 In Escambia County. No One Will Say Which Facilities Are Involved.
April 9, 2020
Update: The number of cases increased to 20 since the original publication of this story Thursday afternoon.
Concern is growing among family members with loved ones in long-term care facilities in Escambia County after the Florida Department of Health reported that there are now 20 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in residents or staff.
The first case was reported last Friday, and by Wednesday had grown to eight cases before more than doubling to 18 by Thursday. Escambia County ranks seventh for the number of cases in the state.
The FDOH won’t say which facilities have the cases, and Escambia County Administrator Janice Gilley said Friday afternoon that the county is not allowed to release facility names. She said that can only be released by Florida Surgeon General Dr. Scott Rivkees.
“We empathize with the families and friends who have loved ones in our nursing home facilities within the county and have concerns about their health and exposure. At this time, we have been advised by the Florida Department of Health that disclosure to the public regarding long term care and nursing home facilities affected by covid remains in the hands of the state surgeon general,” Gilley said.
“The county continues to work alongside the Florida Department of Health, the lead agency for a public health incident. Since the beginning of this pandemic, we have communicated with them to release whatever information they can, but we also understand there are privacy laws in which they must follow. We strongly encourage nursing homes to work with the state surgeon general to publicly disclose if there have been positive COVID-19 cases in their facility in the Escambia County community. We believe it is in the public’s best interest for the facilities be as transparent as possible within the extent of the state and federal laws,” she continued in an emailed statement.
There were total of 528 COVID-19 cases in Florida’s long-term care facilities as of Thursday.
Escambia County (AL) Now Reporting Five COVID-19 Cases
April 9, 2020
Five COVID-19 cases have now been confirmed in Escambia County, Alabama, according to the latest data release Thursday morning from the Alabama Department of Health, up from three cases on Monday.
ADH is reporting 136 total COVID-19 tests in Escambia County; however, the two hospitals in the county reported conducting 199 total tests. Tuesday evening, the Escambia County Healthcare Authority said there were 126 total specimens collected at Atmore Community Hospital with four positives, 97 negatives and 24 awaiting results. At D.W. McMillan Hospital in Brewton, there were 73 total tests administered with one positive, 61 negatives and 11 pending results.
The Alabama Department of Health reported 2,547 total cases in the state.
Cantonment Man Charged After Allegedly Threatening Man, Escambia Deputy
April 9, 2020
A Cantonment man was charged after allegedly threatening to kill a man while holding a loaded shotgun and threatening to kill an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy.
Steve Green Dunn, 68, was booked into the Escambia County Jail on charges of aggravated assault, threatening a deputy and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was released on a $16,000 bond.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported armed disturbance involving an intoxicated male waving a gun the at the end of Bibbs Road off Muscogee Road.
Deputies arrived on scene to find Dunn carrying a shotgun on Bibbs Road before walking to the rear of his trailer, according to an arrest report. He emerged from the trailer without a gun, advising deputies that he had put the shotgun in the trailer. The shotgun was later found in the backyard.. Dunn told deputies that he was just cleaning the gun, and he did not know why the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office was called.
A witness said Dunn called him a coward and told him he would kill him as he was holding a long gun, and that Dunn had about a year ago discharged a weapon three times to intimidate him.
Deputies said in their report that Dunn was highly intoxicated and had a metal pipe containing marijuana residue. The report also states Dunn called the deputy multiple names and told him that when he got out of jail he had another gun and would kill the him. Dunn’s statements were captured on the deputy’s in-vehicle video system.
Rumor Control: Alabama Troopers Aren’t Shutting Down The State’s Borders
April 9, 2020
Alabama State Troopers have no plans to shut down the state’s borders, according to a statement released Wednesday evening.
“These are rumors,” said Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) Secretary Hal Taylor. “ALEA State Troopers continue to patrol roadways daily, to promote public safety and to enforce the law. There are no plans to shut down our state borders.”
ALEA said they are receiving a high volume of inquiries from motorists concerning enforcement along Alabama’s roadways since Gov. Kay Ivey announced a stay-at-home order last week in response to COVID-19.
Nearly Two-Thirds Of Those Tested For COVID-19 In Escambia County Have Their Results
April 9, 2020
Nearly two-thirds of those tested for COVID-19 in Escambia County have received their results.
The latest data Wednesday night shows that 4,786 tests have been performed in Escambia County by Ascension Sacred Heart, Baptist Hospital, West Florida Hospital and Community Health Northwest Florida. Of those tests, 3,699 were conducted in drive-thrus and 1,087 were conducted in hospitals’ inpatient, outpatient and emergency facilities.
There were 2,873 negative test results received, and 165 positives. That puts Escambia County positive rate at 5.4%; statewide the positive rate was 11%.
The Florida Department of Health lags behind in reporting testing numbers. The FDOH only showed 2,544 tests conducted in Escambia County Wednesday night with 2,544 negatives.
As of Wednesday night, there have been 16 hospitalizations and three deaths in Escambia County.
Back To School And Disaster Sales Tax Holidays To Return In 2020
April 9, 2020
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a tax cut bill allowing for a back to school and a disaster preparedness sales tax holiday for 2020.
It’s estimated that the sales tax holiday will cost the state about $37 million in revenue and local governments will take an $11 million cut.
The disaster preparedness holiday will be May 29 to June 4 with items such as flashlights under $20, portable radios under $50, tarps under $50, ground anchor systems or tie-down kits under $50, gas or diesel containers under $25, batteries under $30, coolers under $30, generators under $750 and reusable ice packs under $10.
The schools sales holiday August 7-9 includes clothing and shoes under $60 per item; backpacks, handbags and wallets, under $60 per item; school supplies priced $15 or less per item and computers and accessories under $1,000.
“These programs are needed now more than ever,” said Scott Shalley, president and CEO of the Florida Retail Federation. “Not only do these important tax-free holidays provide relief to consumers buying necessities, but they will inject a shot of adrenaline into Florida’s retail businesses after suffering through the COVID-19 pandemic and forced closures. Thank you to the Florida Legislature and Governor DeSantis for delivering this tax relief.”
DeSantis Signs Bill Legalizing Fireworks On Three Holidays
April 9, 2020
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday signed a bill that legalizes fireworks in Florida on three holidays every year.
The full use of fireworks in Florida is now legal on Independence Day on July 4, New Year’s Eve on December 31 and New Year’s Day on January 1.
Sparklers, noisemakers and the like are legal all year. On the three holidays, people will be able to shoot real fireworks — the kind that explode or shoot in to the sky.
NorthEscambia.com photo.
Florida Launches New Mobile Friendly Unemployment Claims Site
April 9, 2020
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity has rolled out a new mobile friendly online application site in an effort to solve problems that have plagued the agency after a surge in COVID-19 related claims.
“The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity is committed to ensuring Floridians are able to receive the benefits owed to them during this global pandemic,” said Ken Lawson, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. “The team is working around the clock to make the process for applying for Reemployment Assistance as easy as possible for Floridians.”
Floridians who do not have a current open claim should complete their application online at www.FloridaJobs.org/RAApplication.
To utilize the user-friendly online application or to download the paper application, Floridians should visit www.FloridaJobs.org/COVID-19. If a person chooses to file a paper application, they should mail their application to DEO, and a representative will call when their application is processed.
Paper applications can be mailed to:
Florida Department of Economic Opportunity
P.O. Box 5350
Tallahassee, FL 32314-5350
CareerSource locations across the state are available to assist with completing and submitting an online application. They are also available to provide paper applications.